Hamilton to leave for Mercedes 2013

[Mika1]

Part of the decision must have been that, in Hamilton's life, McLaren has only been a winning team for two periods: first in 1998-1999, and then 2007-2008. (I generously include 2007 because they had tons of pace that year.)

In other words, Hamilton has lots of experience watching (and competing for) McLaren when they don't win, and the truth is that they really haven't won that often in the last 20 years, in terms of championships. There must be at least a certain sense of exasperation on the driver's side. From his perspective, what is the point in coming in second or third in the next few championships with McLaren? There is no value in that, and historically that is the best they can provide. It's win or nothing, as surely his hero Senna would attest.

McLaren is a consistent podium finisher but never a champion. If you divide the probability at each team into 'winning the title' and 'finishing in any other place from second on down,' then at Mercedes, Hamilton must surely feel he has an equal or better chance to win the title.

Excellently put. I'm sure that is the calculation.

I totally agree.

[LionKing]

Hamilton has scored an average of 142 points/14races or 10 points per race, which is like coming 5th in every race. In other words even though Mclaren has been fastest for the majority of the races so far they have only performed like the third fastest car. So its touch and go, the risk of going to Merc might not be so bad.

I'm a big Hamilton fan, and I'm sad to say that I think he's made a mistake. But that changes nothing, I'm not such a shallow, fickle individual, so I'll support him wherever he goes.

I also think that Perez move to McLaren is good for the team, and he'll easily be the #1 driver there ahead of Button. I rate Perez, and I do not rate Button. Button has only shown himself to be great in the best car, unlike Perez. Personally, I can't wait to see Perez trounce him next season, much like Lewis has this year.

I really have mixed feelings on this. Perez is an unkown quantity. The most we can construe is that his qualifying speed is slower than Kobayashi's. Button, despite being touted as a average qualifier is in fact very fast; he was faster than Barichello for the majority of their time together. Keep in mind Barichello is no slouch as he was faster than Hulkenberg and close to Michael. It is going to be very intriguing to see how Mclaren fares in qualifying against Alonso and vettel next year.

Button lost qualifying battle against Barrichello in four years as teammates. McLaren need a fast driver, I don't think Button would cut it considering the competition next year.

[Joie de vivre]

I think Perez is overrated. For this years success he can thanks to low tire degredating Sauber, just the same Grosjean can thank Lotus. They both are good drivers, but definitely not equal to Lewis. Remember the China, he could not pass Alonso in Ferrari which literally ate its tires.

[OppositeLock]

Mercedes has been desperately in need of a proven commodity. Hamilton fits the bill. There are no questions about his speed or ability. His first test of the W03 will be extremely important. Maybe he'll set the car up differently and suddenly find a few tenths. He's making a brave move.

[zyphro]

Mercedes has been desperately in need of a proven commodity. Hamilton fits the bill. There are no questions about his speed or ability. His first test of the W03 will be extremely important. Maybe he'll set the car up differently and suddenly find a few tenths. He's making a brave move.

Oh please.

The drivers are not the problem - the car is.

[snoop1050]

Mercedes has been desperately in need of a proven commodity. Hamilton fits the bill. There are no questions about his speed or ability. His first test of the W03 will be extremely important. Maybe he'll set the car up differently and suddenly find a few tenths. He's making a brave move.

why do people think he will test the w03?

[Hangaku]

I suppose the best thing to come out of this for everyone, is the fact that Lewis is a much better F1 competitor in a car that isn't fastest.

Let me explain; If his car is the fastest, and he has DNFs or doesn't win, the toys get thrown. Nobody likes it, but it's understandable. If I know I had the fastest car, and I didn't win, I would be rightly upset.

But when he's driving a dog, he also appears to act more professionally, and the best comes out of him. This might be to the benefit of Mercedes (in terms of developing the car - if we are to assume that he gives good development feedback) and himself as a driver that wants to be respected by his peers.

Make a comparison to Sebastien Vettel - nothing but a sour face and a pouty bottom lip - he knows that Red Bull should be delivering him a race winning car, and it's not. So the toys go out, and he's seen as acting like a nob.

Maybe a couple of tough years at Mercedes for Lewis will do him and F1 the world of good.

[JimClarkFan]

I think Perez is overrated. For this years success he can thanks to low tire degredating Sauber, just the same Grosjean can thank Lotus. They both are good drivers, but definitely not equal to Lewis. Remember the China, he could not pass Alonso in Ferrari which literally ate its tires.

I agree with you about Perez, he is overrated, he has proved nothing in my eyes other than he can manage tyres and I feel that if the tyres switch back to being more robust he'll be in trouble. Grosjean by contrast has out and out pace.

I've several posts in this thread since this morning, and I'm still really disappointed that one of the other drivers did not get the nod ahead of Perez. Better options for Mclaren include: Hulk, DiResta, Maldonardo (yes), Rosberg or that young Williams driver.

Gutted is the word.

[phillippe]

.. Hamilton's leanings are indeed towards a higher salary, more freedom for personal advertising, the satisfaction of having his picture next to Mercedes'...

I think Hamilton's move is motivated by the desire to be the best of his generation. Alonso's view is that only Hamilton can win in a poor car, and that has been his challenge at McLaren a number of times. Whilst McLaren's mission statement is to win GP's, Hamilton wants to win WDC's and McLaren have not been able to capture the consistency of 07/08 to take him towards the multiple WDC holy grail.

Unless you are a pf1 journalist, it is clearly misleading, unethical or even downright dishonest to quote me by omitting the extremely important word "IF" from the beginning of the quote. Elsewhere in the same post, I have commented on Hamilton's and Alonso's ability to extract the extra pace from an underperforming car (relative to the rest of the grid, not in absolute terms of the physical limitations of the car). Mclaren's inability to produce championship contenders consistently over a period of time is also addressed elsewhere in my post.

It's not like I disagree with your point in any manner, but please do not grossly misquote others to make yours. Please don't give anyone the opportunity to label your post as trolling. Thanks.

[JimClarkFan]

I suppose the best thing to come out of this for everyone, is the fact that Lewis is a much better F1 competitor in a car that isn't fastest.

Let me explain; If his car is the fastest, and he has DNFs or doesn't win, the toys get thrown. Nobody likes it, but it's understandable. If I know I had the fastest car, and I didn't win, I would be rightly upset.

But when he's driving a dog, he also appears to act more professionally, and the best comes out of him. This might be to the benefit of Mercedes (in terms of developing the car - if we are to assume that he gives good development feedback) and himself as a driver that wants to be respected by his peers.

Make a comparison to Sebastien Vettel - nothing but a sour face and a pouty bottom lip - he knows that Red Bull should be delivering him a race winning car, and it's not. So the toys go out, and he's seen as acting like a nob.

Maybe a couple of tough years at Mercedes for Lewis will do him and F1 the world of good.

You might be right about going to Mercedes being the world of good. But Hamilton by right would have won the championship this year at a stroll if his car, and team had not of let him down in several of the races.

[phillippe]

You might be right about going to Mercedes being the world of good. But Hamilton by right would have won the championship this year at a stroll if his car, and team had not of let him down in several of the races.

F1 is still a team sport not without reason; all the elements need to work harmoniously to deliver a title. If any crucial part as a whole, be it the engineering team, driver or the pit crew fail to deliver, the chances of a title take a significant beating. It can never be a case of X vs. Y within a team. Hamilton may have been better off without Mclaren"s mistakes this year, but if we were to split hairs re intra team performance, Massa should have massacred the Ferrari pit crew for Singapore 2008, Vettel could have blamed Red Bull for the woeful reliability had he failed to win in 2010, and more poignantly, McLaren could still fault Hamilton for his mistake in the last race of 2007. Admitted, this is not a debate on whether McLaren jeopardised Hamilton's chances in China 2007 or this year overall. But sometimes, when it comes to team sport, passes and chances may be missed. Unless these misses are clearly onesided, it may not be accurate or constructive to hastily lay the blame on an individual element within the team (or a pitcrew/team overall vs. the driver).

[Chuckjr]

Mercedes has been desperately in need of a proven commodity. Hamilton fits the bill. There are no questions about his speed or ability. His first test of the W03 will be extremely important. Maybe he'll set the car up differently and suddenly find a few tenths. He's making a brave move.

A few tenths?? He will need to find a lot more than a few tenths in in that car to even get into q3 never mind just getting to the bottom podium step.

I think this move is a very poor decision since its Mike that's leaving to make room. Hamilton needs a good seasoned driver next to him to help develop this team and guide him in this very foreign territory. Without Mike there will be nothing to help keep his ballast in check as the road is gonna be extremely rocky in 2013. Then again, maybe a bigger question is if Lewis would have even listened to anyone other than his ego.

I see a complete cockpit meltdown in 2013.

Lewis has shown repeatedly over many many years that he has no patience driving a crap car that cant deliver time not to mention he has zero ability to gather the team around him to encourage change and positive results--enormous strengths in Schumacher and Alonso. Lewis actually pushes everything away from centering when it's bad thus causing more chaos and rifts to form in the team. It may well be some of the cock ups this year at Macca were encouraged simply from the mounting caustic pressure he puts on those surrounding him.

I really think his line that he just wants to win is simply not honest. If it was honest, then money, exposure, world self promotion, and original trophies would all fall way down the list in priority and all that would matter is what team has shown to offer a solid car each year. Mercs development this year has been pathetic at best.

I agree with what a few have said here in that the real winner is XIX. They have played on Lewis' ego and used this to take him from a very fast driver to a very high paid image so they make more money. Who can blame them? It's their job to extract out the highest dollar, but what a cost this will be to Lewis. I never saw Senna or Prost motivated by anything but getting in the car and driving the living $hit out of it for the sake of love for the sport. Period end of story. Furthermore, How can 15 large (or whatever the offer was--it was more than enough to live a very opulent life forever) not be enough money??? I mean how much money does a person need? My god, the greed at work here is just destroying this guys career. Wow.

Hats off to XIX, they played this one perfectly at the cost of a mans career. They are laughing all the way to the bank. Can you imagine the distractions Lewis will face with all the endorsements, photo shoots, commercials, product lines, etc etc. he's already stated publicly how important recharging and quiet help him in racing.

This will be incredible to watch unfold. Peace out Ayrton Senna career, hello Jacques Villeneuve implosion.

[example]

Oh the irony, fan of Vettel talking about ego.
We get it, you don't like Lewis and you wish him the worst at Merc.
It will make it even sweeter when he suceeds there.

[PlatinumZealot]

Mercedes has been desperately in need of a proven commodity. Hamilton fits the bill. There are no questions about his speed or ability. His first test of the W03 will be extremely important. Maybe he'll set the car up differently and suddenly find a few tenths. He's making a brave move.

A few tenths?? He will need to find a lot more than a few tenths in in that car to even get into q3 never mind just getting to the bottom podium step.

I think this move is a very poor decision since its Mike that's leaving to make room. Hamilton needs a good seasoned driver next to him to help develop this team and guide him in this very foreign territory. Without Mike there will be nothing to help keep his ballast in check as the road is gonna be extremely rocky in 2013. Then again, maybe a bigger question is if Lewis would have even listened to anyone other than his ego.

I see a complete cockpit meltdown in 2013.

Lewis has shown repeatedly over many many years that he has no patience driving a crap car that cant deliver time not to mention he has zero ability to gather the team around him to encourage change and positive results--enormous strengths in Schumacher and Alonso. Lewis actually pushes everything away from centering when it's bad thus causing more chaos and rifts to form in the team. It may well be some of the cock ups this year at Macca were encouraged simply from the mounting caustic pressure he puts on those surrounding him.

I really think his line that he just wants to win is simply not honest. If it was honest, then money, exposure, world self promotion, and original trophies would all fall way down the list in priority and all that would matter is what team has shown to offer a solid car each year. Mercs development this year has been pathetic at best.

I agree with what a few have said here in that the real winner is XIX. They have played on Lewis' ego and used this to take him from a very fast driver to a very high paid image so they make more money. Who can blame them? It's their job to extract out the highest dollar, but what a cost this will be to Lewis. I never saw Senna or Prost motivated by anything but getting in the car and driving the living $hit out of it for the sake of love for the sport. Period end of story. Furthermore, How can 15 large (or whatever the offer was--it was more than enough to live a very opulent life forever) not be enough money??? I mean how much money does a person need? My god, the greed at work here is just destroying this guys career. Wow.

Hats off to XIX, they played this one perfectly at the cost of a mans career. They are laughing all the way to the bank. Can you imagine the distractions Lewis will face with all the endorsements, photo shoots, commercials, product lines, etc etc. he's already stated publicly how important recharging and quiet help him in racing.

This will be incredible to watch unfold. Peace out Ayrton Senna career, hello Jacques Villeneuve implosion.

Hamilton is going to get less money at Mercedes so he is not doing it for money as you think.

"There is a competitive market for drivers and Lewis is as competitive as anyone else in that respect," Brawn told Sky Sports News. "But Lewis didn't come here because we offered more money, because we didn't. Lewis came here because he met the people that were involved in the project, he became excited about the project, and Lewis will be part of creating that competitive car.

http://en.espnf1.com/mercedes/motorspor ... 90184.html

[Vanja #66]

Well, what is expected he will say? It's the hot topic of the day, looking at the sums that pop-up everywhere, a lot of people think that the move is money-driven, of course he will deny it... It's Ross Brawn, the guy is capable of selling a painting to a blind man. (I mean this as a good property of Ross, for him at least.)

I don't think its money-driven as much the money is meant as a form of precaution, if Mercedes fail to deliver... There is always a possibility for it.